Silent Moments of the Past
by A-Marlene-S
Summary: We are back! Back to this hell hole, we call a Tea Party that is run by Death's himself. Several people woke up after meeting their end, they work up to be invited to a tea party and a chance to change their past for the better or for worse. (Grammar. It's an old fic that is over 70 chapters long. Give me a break.)
1. Chapter 1

Silent Moments of the Past

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D/C: I own nothing.

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"Wh-what happened?" a blonde male groaned out. He attempted to open his eyes but hissed out in pain. He quickly closed his eyes as the light of the sun caused massive pain. Lifting his arm to block out the light, Naruto once again slowly opened his eyes to look around his surroundings. His jaw dropped at the sight - it wasn't so much of what he saw, it was lack of what he did not see. Instead of a full out torn battlefield, now he appeared to be in a meadow that appeared like no one had disturbed it for who knows how long. The trees surrounding the area were so massive that they look like they could touch the heavens. A river crossed through the field, filled with wildflowers and tall grass. It looked like the place was taken out of a storybook.

Slowly getting up from the tall grass, Naruto looked around and saw that he was alone. "Where am I?"

He began to walk towards the running river, keeping a close eye on his surroundings. For all Naruto knew, this was some sort of illusion. Walking closer to the river, he began to hear laughter from a short distance away, along with the distinct sound of dishes clinking together. The smell of food that filled the air had Naruto unknowingly beginning to follow the source of it. As he got closer, he began to hear shouting and laughter in the increasingly shorter distance.

Once realization hit him, Naruto ducked back into the tall grass and continued on following the laughter that sounded so familiar to him. He just couldn't put a finger to it. The closer he got, the will to push on to get to the location grew within him. As he did so, he ended up failing a rather basic rule to being Shinobi…

Always be aware of your surroundings…

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed under his breath, holding his head in pain.

"What a drag…" another voice groaned out in pain.

"Shikamaru?"

"Naruto?"

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at each other, wondering if they were actually seeing what they were seeing.

Shikamaru head dropped forward in resignation. "Troublesome… Of course, it's you…"

"What does that supposed to mean? Do you know where we are?"

"Naruto…"

"How did we get here?"

"Naruto…"

"What happened? One moment we were…" Naruto trailed off as Shikamaru pulled out one of his trench knives and placed it against his neck.

"Heh… sorry…" Naruto nervously laughed, looking rather pale as the pressure of the knife continued on. "Sorry."

"Tch…" Shikamaru pulled the trench knife away from his friend's neck and put the weapon back on his person before he took note of their situation. "I don't know where we are or how we got here. It doesn't feel like a gen-jutsu either…"

"I wonder what happened to us… let alone everyone else…"

Shikamaru gave Naruto a serious look. "I don't know, the last thing I remember was… I blacked out and I ended up here."

Naruto rubbed his face as he tried to remember the last thing he could before he ended up where he was at this very second. "I was in the front lines… I saw Hinata was being surrounded… I knew she could easily take them down but…"

Naruto trailed off as anger started to consume him at the memory. That was the last thing he wanted to see. "I blacked out too."

"Neither… you yo-you bl-acked out…" Someone slurred out above Naruto and Shikamaru, causing them to slowly look up to see someone they never would have expected to see again. Alive at least. "You two died…and ended up h-here."

Complete and utter shock, Naruto and Shikamaru couldn't help but feel at the sight of an overly intoxicated Neji Hyuga. This caused the two teens to jump into the air from the sight of their supposedly dead friend. They had brought out their weapons before going on the defense.

For his own part, Neji turned away from the two and headed towards the sound of laughter. Naruto finally saw that Neji was holding a bottle of sake and he was swaying rather dangerously so.

"You two better come with me… There is a Tea Party and we can't be late for it…" Neji began to say before he lost his balance and fell over, landing face first. "I hate my existence…"

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at each other, trying to figure out what was going on with Neji. In silent agreement, they hurried to Neji's side. They helped him stand back up but wasn't making it easy for them.

"Neji… is that you?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"Wh-of course it's me…" Neji groaned. He attempted to regain his footing but if it wasn't for his friends' grip on him, he would have fallen again. "I need more tea…"

"Are you sure you are drinking tea?" Shikamaru asked doubtfully, taking away the bottle Neji was holding.

"…Give me the bottle back, I need it…" Neji attempted to take back his bottle but stopped when he saw Shikamaru drained the contents of the bottle. With a grumble, he got out of his friend's grasp and continued on walking forward. "We're almost there anyway…"

Naruto and Shikamaru once more looked at each other wondering what had happened to cause Neji to act… so weird for him.

"We're here."

"Here…?" Naruto and Shikamaru's jaws dropped at exactly what _here_ was. Not even that far off was a long table that held several people and had more than enough room to hold several more. The table was filled with a wide variety of foods and drinks. What really made them question their sanity is the fact the occupants that were sitting around the table are people they had assumed to be dead.

Neji wobbled towards the table, sitting next to a man that looked awfully like Hiashi. The man pulled Neji to sit next to him; Neji dropped into his seat before he let out a massive wail of sorrow. It would have been a pitiful sight if it weren't for the fact Neji started to cry in the look-alike's arms, who only laughed and repeatedly patted his back.

"Shikamaru?"

"Yeah?"

"Is this really happening?"

Shikamaru didn't know how to respond. He kept looking around at the other occupants sitting around the table. Doing a headcount on who exactly was there made him paler and paler as their names popped into the forefront of his mind. The man who was trying to cheer up Neji must be the guy's father.

No question about it.

Then there's Zabuza, Asuma, Jiraiya, Itachi, Shizune, and Shikaku… everyone that supposedly died. For Shikamaru, seeing his father and teacher made him stop in his tracks. He turned his head to see that the blonde was doing a headcount of his own and saw how his eyes stopped at the Toad Sage.

At this point, everyone that was sitting around the table turned their attention to them. That only made it worse for Naruto and Shikamaru. They took a page out of someone's book… and fainted.

"Well… they took this rather well considering…" Jiraiya chuckled into his drink. The others added their own thoughts to it, and a few shook their heads in disbelief.

"How did you expect them to react? To be jumping for joy?" Asuma let out a sigh before he looked on his person, searching for a cigarette. "Well… almost everyone."

Everyone looked down the table to see a sobbing Neji, who is now banging his head against the table.

"Still… How are we going to explain this?" Kabuto asked, waving his hand around lazily. "Even I do not know what's going on as it is. All I know is that we are dead and this is limbo."

"I don't even know what's going on anymore…" Shizune shook her head, wondering why she was in this position. "All I know is that we all are dead and now we are here."

"Dead…" Hizashi said in a despondent tone. "I was the first one to die and end up here with that crazy lady over there."

Hiashi pointed down at the very end the table at a simple but intimidating armchair which sat a woman wearing a conical straw hat and a light sage green cloth that acted as a veil to hide her face. Her fitting white and purple kimono, covered in green and grey yarrows, had long sleeves that hid her hands.

The figure sat calmly in their seat, slowly drinking tea. A smirk donned her face as the others continued their talk on death. Looking up, she saw Jiraiya and Shikaku picked up the latest guests and placing them on empty seats next to them respectively.

"Everyone is almost here… Now, all we need to do is to wait for the others…'

"-was like…almost twelve years ago," Shizune stated, looking at the former Branch Member of the Hyuga Clan.

"Yes… twelve years here waiting for something to supposedly happen," Hizashi responded, as he lifted a cup up towards his lips. "Apparently, she has plans and has been waiting calmly for the rest of the key players to arrive."

"For what exactly?" Itachi asked Hizashi with a sideways glance.

"It'll be easier to explain once everyone has arrived at this party."

"There's going to be more of us, then?" Asuma frowned at the thought of more people dying from whatever was going to happen to them. "How many more are going to die in the war for this?"

"Just look at how many open seats are still left open." Zabuza pointed at the end of the table. There were still four empty seats. "We just have to wait for them."

Rustling was heard behind the table. Almost everyone turned around to see a purple-haired woman in a trench coat walk up towards the table. She was openly glaring at Kabuto, who gulped and began to sip his drink nervously.

"Well hello there, Anko." Jiraiya shot Anko a lecherous smile.

Anko glared at the old pervert, gritting her teeth at the realization that she was weaponless and was in no way able to bring harm to anyone… with pointy and shiny babies, that is.

"Why don't you sit and wait for the others to come?" The unnamed female motioned for Anko to take a seat. Anko growled at the unknown female; she looked like she was going to lunge across the table when she caught sight of something on the table. "Dango…"

Everyone sweatdropped as they watch Anko taking a seat and digging into the plate filled with her favorite sweets.

"… my head…" Naruto grumbled out, rubbing his eyes as he attempted to sit up. "I can't believe that I actually dreamt that Ero-Sannin and everyone else was alive and drinking tea…"

"That wasn't really a dream, Naruto," Jiraiya said, ignoring the nickname.

Naruto turned to see his godfather with wide eyes, "Ero-Sannin?"

"Who else, kid?" Jiraiya said to him.

Naruto launched himself to the Sannin and hugged the man. Silently sobbing against him, mumbling out undefined words, Jiraiya put his arm around Naruto to comfort him. A small reunion for the two…

Shikamaru raised his head up from the table and yawned. "Troublesome nightmare…"

"Nightmare?" Asuma asked looking at his student. "What would make you think this is a nightmare?"

"Try spending twelve years with this. This party never ends," Hizashi butted in. "Believe me, after the first few hours, I was ready to either kill myself or kill her."

"Shikamaru," Shikaku turned to see his only son look at him and Asuma with wide eyes. "This is real… As real as it gets."

The female at the head of the table smiled as she watched the scene. Even though they were dead, they were happy to see each other. She saw the teenager jumped from his seat and hug his father, before commencing to hug the man next to him, who was his teacher and a second father to him.

Let's not forget the other two. Jiraiya and Naruto broke apart and began to talk. It looked like the blonde's desire was to kill the older man with a perverted smile on his face.

A butterfly came fluttering down and landed on her plate. Smiling, she reached out, and it rested on her hand. "Take a seat, have some tea. We are waiting for two more to join in our festivities."

Shizune and Kabuto listed to her whispering to the butterfly and watched it fly off. They watched it fly into the tall grass to only be turned into smoke and be replaced by a male. In a green long hooded green coat.

Everyone turned to see the teen. Most of them couldn't place a name on him.

"Shino," Naruto waved at him. Shikamaru sat back down in his seat and nodded his head as Shino passed him. The third rookie sat in his seat. He didn't say or react to his surroundings.

"Who's left now, Miss. Crazy?," Zabuza said as he took a bottle of alcohol.

"Sand," Miss. Crazy, as she is now been dubbed, said.

Shikamaru's brows furrowed. He was going to ask a question when something hit him over the head. Multiple times.

"You damn idiot!" a blond female screamed as she hit Shikamaru over the head with an oversized fan. "Why did you take that hit?"

Shikaku and Naruto, who were on either side of the poor male edged away.

"Temari!" Shikamaru managed to squeeze in. "Can you stop, you troublesome woman!"

Temari dropped her fan and glared down at him. "Why? Why did you take that attack? You were needed more. Why..."

Shikamaru got up from his seat and grabbed hold of Temari, it startled her and half around the table, "Troublesome woman, I needed you."

Temari fought back the tears but she clung on to him and hid her face in his vest. "You bastard..."

"I know," Shikamaru agreed.

Miss. Crazy cleared her throat. "I don't want to ruin the moment, but our last guest has arrived."

Everyone turned to the end of the table to see the last member. It made a few of them pale. Well, three of them, Shikamaru and Kabuto, the first one was holding the sister in a close embrace.

"Gaara, you're also in this," Naruto said to the read head. Gaara's attention was pointed at the pale Shikamaru that was holding his older sister.

Temari let go of Shikamaru and quickly wipe away the tears. "Not you too, Gaara..."

"Where are we?" Gaara asked as he stayed in his spot. He glanced around the table. Kabuto was attempting to hide from his view. Itachi just stayed where he was at, calmly eating a rice ball.

"Now that you have arrived now we can down to business," Miss. Crazy smiled as she rose from her seat. She stood to be 5'5". She had of both arms against the table. "If you three can take a seat."

Shikamaru, Temari, and Gaara took a seat; there was something about the female's voice which made them respond without issue. At that, everyone at the table stopped what they were doing and sat straight in their seats.

"Good," she said, as she sat back down in her seat, "Hizashi-san if you would."

Hizashi cleared his and stood up, "Now that everyone has arrived at this… party, is there any questions before we start?"

Anko had a toothpick, in one hand and pointed it at Kabuto, "I have two. Why are they here? And why are we here?"

"Good question, but difficult to answer," the spokesperson said. "We are here because we have a task that would change everything."

"Change what?" Temari huffed, folding her arms.

"A chance to change the total outcome of this war and our future if you play your cards right," Crazy replied in a light voice.

"You make it sound like we can actually change what has already happened," Shikaku said. He glanced at her with calculating eyes.

"What if I told you that… what actually happened hasn't happened yet if we play along," she said.

Shikaku and Shikamaru both held identical expressions trying to figure out what she was saying. The rest of the table held similar expressions.

"Are you implying that what has happened can be erased?" Gaara asked in a monotone voice. "Or… make it never happen?"

"Ah, no wonder they made you Kazekage at such a young age, Gaara-sama," Crazy said.

Then it clicked in Shikamaru head. Not a second behind, his father also came to the same conclusion.

"What you are implying… is… impossible," Shikaku said to Crazy. "Then again… this is also impossible."

"What are they talking about," Naruto asked, not knowing what was going on.

Jiraiya frowned, taking in what they were meaning. He noticed the only calm one was Hizashi. "Do you know what's going on, Hizashi?"

"Yes," he replied bluntly. "What she is saying and going to do is all too real."

"Time travel," Itachi stated. Even though his face held an empty look, the way he said his words sounded soft and surprised. "Can this actually happen?"

"Of course it can happen," Crazy waved off. "That's why I gathered all of you."

"We all have a place in this game," Hizashi added, "I-"

"How the hell is this a damn game," Anko seethed.

"Simply," Crazy said as she reached for her hat, "all of you played either a small or big role within your lives. Think of it as a butterfly effect."

Removing the straw hat, half of the people gasp once they saw who summoned them was. She had a round face, which held a huge smil. Her eyes were a deep night blue - almost black - and dark hair tied in a high bun, with bangs covering her forehead and the sides of her head in a swept motion. She looked to be in her mid to late teens.

"I believe I should make my introduction," the dark-haired teen said "My name is Tomoko Akira. I used a forbidden seal that cost me to give my soul to the Shinigami. Lord Shinigami gave me a deal that I couldn't refuse."

"Tomoko Akira," Jiraiya said with wide eyes. "Raise no Tomoko, Tomoko of the Otherworld."

"My god…" Zabuza looked at Tomoko and was agape. "I remember that name. That name gave everyone back home nightmares. Raise no Tomoko, the one who can open doors that no one can. You have one of the highest assassination rates."

"Senpai," Anko whispered.

"Why am I not surprised," Shikaku groaned in his hands. "Even in death, you manage to make my life hell."

"You know her, Dad?" Shikamaru asked, looking at Tomoko. There was something about her face that looked familiar.

Asuma started to laugh at Shikaku's discomfort. "Tomoko is Shikaku's sister-in-law."

"We are getting off-topic," Hizashi coughed.

"Right… As I was saying, Lord Shinigami made me a deal. If I can bring him, certain souls, then…"

"If we go through with this, all we have to do is give him what he wants," Neji said, finally over the crying and drunk spell. "Is that all…?"

"Or is there more than that…?" Shikamaru said.

Tomoko stared down at everyone, and let out a deep sigh. "Lord Shinigami is an extremely patient god. At one point everyone dies. What he wants is the official death of the so-called immortals and many others. All the casualties of the war would be gone from his domain, yes. But… What he really wants… is something that I cannot tell you at the moment."

"Are we tied to this deal," Gaara asked. Everyone turned and stared at her. "If we are…"

Tension filled the air.

"No… No one sitting at this table beside me is part of the deal," Tomoko said, a lot of the people let out a sigh of relief. "I picked each one of you for pacific reasons, but in order for this to work you have to make a pact with him."

Everyone froze.

"What do you mean by that?" Temari said in a careful tone.

"What she means is that we can't go back without His consent," Hizashi defended. "We have to plan out everything before we go back. Who do you think is going to send us back?"

"Is that the only way?" Shizune asked in a whisper.

"…" Tomoko stayed quiet and bowed her head.

"Are you saying that if we do this we can save everyone?" Naruto asked, with a determined look on his face. He stood up looking right at her. "We can avoid this war."

"And much more, Naruto, and so much more," Tomoko commented staring up at the Uzumaki.

"What are the conditions?" Shino asked, "Why, because if I am going to go through this, I want to know what exactly I am going to go through?"

Tomoko smiled, "The conditions will be explained once you agree. I promise everyone that the only thing that you have to do is make sure that the future is secure."

"Before I agree to anything, can someone explain to me why are… _they _here," Anko said pointing at Kabuto and Itachi.

"Kabuto actually wanted revenge against Orochimaru and Danzo," Tomoko said.

Everyone stared at the silver-haired young man; Kabuto sat up straight and frowned. "They both had a hand in the killing of someone very important to me. The main reason I join the snake in the first place was to make sure she stayed safe and not to get her killed."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Then they turned to Itachi.

The only people who knew of his past were Naruto and Jiraiya. Itachi let out a tired breath and quickly explained to them the situation behind the Uchiha Massacre.

"And I thought Mist was bloody," Zabuza commented. A few glared at him for that. But then again the root (no pun intended) of the problem started in Konoha.

Slowly rising up, Tomoko looked over the table with a tired look. "If you want time to think about it…"

"Well I don't know about anyone but if what you said is true… then what other choices do we have?" Asuma said as he played with a cigarette. "I want a better for her and for…"

He didn't finish as he clenches to death stick. He regretted a lot of things, but the one thing he regretted was not being there the birth of his child.

"I want to go back and make it up to Haku," Zabuza said.

"Hey, I have a question," Naruto asked. "Is Haku a girl or a boy?"

Everyone's head dropped. No matter how much he grew up, he was still… Naruto.

"Haku's a girl," Zabuza deadpanned.

"I knew it!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I want to go back to make sure the clan actually make it right between the main and the branch," Hizashi said. "After I died, I swear that he started to walk with an extra leg."

No one could deny that…

The others added in what they wanted to change about their past.

Gaara rose from his seat and looked at Naruto then at Tomoko, "I believe that everyone is going to agree with the… arrangement."

Everyone nodded their heads.

Smiling at them, Tomoko put on her straw hat again, "Then that case, you better start planning, he's going to be here in one hour. Oh, you may want to add the conditions of what exactly you want to have when you all go back."

Then she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Shikamaru looked at his dad and said in a serious tone, "Am I really related to her?"

"Unfortunately…"

To be continued...

Thank you, **яαєlєηє **aka ThePhantomPrincess!


	2. Chapter 2

Silent Moments of the Past

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D/C: I own nothing.

-.-

"What did she mean about what we want when we go back?" Temari said, looking around the table. All eyes landed on Hizashi.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" he said.

"You know far more than the rest of us," Shikaku pointed out.

Hizashi let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair. "What she meant is that, once we go back… many of the things could change. One choice can lead to an early end or to a long haul of pain. We have to be careful with the way we change things. We can't just change things out of proportion."

"She told you all of that," Shizune said. "Then what's the point of going back if it going to be worse than…"

"What he's saying is that we have to be extremely careful," Zabuza growled. "If we make a single mistake or forget the slightest detail we could end up losing the ones we need for the upcoming events."

"Zabuza and I have been here the longest out of all of you," Hizashi said. "In our stay here, we've seen what has been happening out there. Including seeing all the different outcomes of each event, including meeting Death himself a couple of times."

"Wh-what!" Jiraiya stuttered. Everyone looked confused or in disbelief. "You two actually met the Shinigami?"

"Yeah… After the third or fourth time, you get used to seeing him," Hizashi shrugged.

"If you don't mind him threatening you every few seconds to send you to your personal hell," Zabuza shivered. "Never again…"

Everyone did an involuntary shiver.

"We have to be specific with what we do," Hizashi said. Before anyone said anything, two pieces of paper appeared out of nowhere and landed in the middle of the table. Right in front of Naruto and Shikamaru, they looked around the table they saw Hizashi and Zabuza nodding their head at them.

Slowly they reached over and each one grabbed a paper. As they read the paper, serious looks came to their faces.

Once the two teens finished reading the papers, they folded them up and put them in their pockets. Naruto looked around the table. "We don't have much time, and we have to plan what we have to do, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru sat straight in his chair and took out a scroll and a pen, "You said we are going back in time."

"Yup."

"Did they specify what year, month, or day for the return?" Shikamaru questioned, writing down notes.

"No… now that you mention it..."

More notes were taken down. "What about our current abilities, did they say anything about that?"

"Nope."

Shikamaru continued to ask question after question. Everyone else began to understand what he was doing. He was going over what they needed to do. After several minutes, Shikamaru finished the question last question towards Hizashi.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru said, "Alright, when we do this, we need a specific date for when we go back. We can't go back too far or too late."

They all sat there thinking about what would be the right time to return.

"October 10," Naruto said, "It's the day that Obito came and made the fox attack the village. The day that changed everything."

"Before or after the attack?" Shikamaru asked, not lifting his head from the scroll.

"Shikamaru," Temari hissed at him.

"Right after the fox had been sealed in him," Jiraiya answered, "We could save lives, but…"

"We have to make sure Naruto has the fox sealed in him," Itachi added in. "He's the only one to be able to withstand the fox's chakra and if we interfere with the attack more lives can be ruined."

"What about your parents, Naruto?" Neji asked.

Naruto groaned at that, before putting on a sad smile, "As much I want to… If they were still around then, I wouldn't have been able to learn the lessons I have learned growing up, and… I have a feeling I will see them again someday."

"You are willing to take harsh glares once again, Naruto," Gaara asked.

Naruto gave his friend a half smile. "If I could already stand being alone for most of my life, then how is this going to be any different?"

"Wrong," Shino said. Naruto looked at him with a surprised look, then it turned into a downcast one.

"This time you are not going to be alone, Naruto-san. This time we are here for you and for anyone who in need of a friend," Shino finished.

"He's right," Shikaku said, "Last time, my clan and several of the clans tried and failed to adopt you. The civilians and few of the minor clans always out voted us from ever taking you in."

"The branch wanted to take you in, but we withdrew due to our own seal," Hizashi added.

Naruto began to smile at everything that he has been told. Then a frown came back to his face. "I know that I won't be alone, including you Gaara,"

"You got that right!" Temari said grabbing hold of her brother's hand to show her support.

"Thank you," Gaara whispered.

"Before anyone freaks out, I prefer to not have any of the clans or anyone taking me in," Naruto announced.

"Are you sure about that, kid?" Jiraiya said, with a shocked look. "I ca-"

"You need to work on you spy network and this time you have to come to Konoha more often to report in," Shikamaru interrupted. "Plus he didn't say anything about us helping him."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his friend. "What, no troublesome?"

Shikamaru looked up from his scroll with a bored look. "Troublesome, happy?"

"Very."

"What are we going to do with Sasuke and the Uchiha massacre?" Itachi said, "I do not want to have to go through with killing my clan even if it's for the greater good. As for Sasuke, I don't want him to go down that path again."

"The majority of the Uchiha always resented the village… I said majority… with or without the help of Obito." Jiraiya said, Itachi gave him his usual empty look. "As for your brother…"

"If he goes down that path, I will not hesitate to kill him," Shino said in a low voice. "Why? Because he is one of the reasons we are in this mess."

Itachi bowed his head. He wanted to save his brother, but… it's for the good for the village. "Alright, but only if we need to."

"Don't worry, Itachi, I'll everything I can to help him before he goes down," Naruto promised.

"What was written on those papers, anyway?" Kabuto asked.

Naruto and Shikamaru looked at him.

"Classified information."

Several more questions about everyone's past and plans to take out many problems came to be…

"Done." Shikamaru said as he closed the scroll and gave it to Naruto. "Here, all of the points we need to make sure we need to do and what we have to avoid."

"Are you two in charge of this then?" Anko said, as she continued to eat dango.

"Makes sense," Shikaku and Asuma commented.

"How?" Shizune inquired.

"Naruto has been in this mess since he was born," Itachi said, "As for the other…"

"I see Shikamaru as my close friend and I trust him," Naruto stated.

"Plus the idiot needs someone to keep him organized," Shikamaru added in. Naruto glared at him. "Have you seen how your apartment looks like, troublesome?"

Naruto face planted against the table in a comedic manner. Everyone who had seen Naruto's room nodded their heads in understanding.

"Plus, I would protect, follow and fight right beside him," Shikamaru said lazily, "even if I have to do something troublesome, like becoming your chief advisor once you become Hokage."

"You better become his chief advisor," Temari warned. "This time you better become a Jounin and not stay at Chunin."

Shikamaru mumbled out a yes, as his face turned red. Shikaku watched in amusement. He could only imagine the grandkids they will make for him.

"It's settled then," Neji said, as he looked down into his drink. "I would also help you become Hokage, Naruto."

"Of course I would help in every way I can," Shino said, piping in.

Everyone nodded their heads.

In the entire time they had known or seen him, they could tell a leader was right in front of them.

"Alright, this is what we are going to ask for when she and he comes back," Naruto said as he looked over the scroll. "…. Shikamaru…?"

"Yes?"

"Why are their multiple 'troublesome's written here?" Naruto asked.

"Troublesome."

* * *

One hour had passed; everyone around the table was on edge. They waited for the arrival of the main host of the party.

Slowly the sun began to disappear behind grey clouds. The fog began to creep through the tall grass, in a mocking manner. Everything around them began to slowly freeze.

"He's here," Hizashi said.

A tall, dark, cloaked figure appeared from the tall grass. Behind him was Tomoko. The figure seemed to be even taller than Kisame and Juugo. His hood covered his face, the cloak hid his body, and the only thing visible was his arms. In his right arm, he carried prayer beads. In the other, he held a dark wooden staff.

"Have you decided everything, then?" The Shinigami spoke in a dark, looming voice.

Naruto stood up, and held out a different scroll. He took a quick look at it before closing it. "Tomoko told us that we have to make a pact with you in order for us to go back. What is it exactly you want?"

Death stopped for a moment and looked down at Tomoko. "You do realize this takes away the element of surprise."

"Do you want me to get Mrs. Death?" Tomoko said in a tired tone.

"No!" Death said quickly. He turned back to everyone. "What I want is souls of those who are past overdue and others... In order for that to happen, you have to become my messengers."

"Your what…?" A few asked while the others murmured among themselves. "You want us to work for you?"

"Yes, and no," Death shrugged, sitting down in the armchair. Tomoko stood next to him. "What I want from all of you is to send me the souls I have assigned to you. The only one who actually works for me is Akira-san."

"Assassination. You want us to kill," Shikaku said, his eyes narrowed. If Death wants them to kill, well, it's part of a ninja's job. But it depended on the people on the list.

"Not like that," Death answered the unasked question. "All I want are the ones who truly belong in the depth of my belly. How you do it is up to you, just as long I get what I want."

Everyone sweatdropped at that. They weren't so sure if he was telling the truth about that, or not.

"Like what Akira-san said, I am a patient god. Everyone dies one way or another." Death chuckled. "The ones I am sending you off to are the ones I want sooner rather than later."

"Will that be it on our part for you?" Neji asked.

"Hmm..." Death thought for a moment. "There is another thing but that can wait once all of you die… but I don't see that happening in any of your futures so soon."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"I will also say this. I am very generous to the ones who serve me loyally," Death said as he stood. "I will give you gifts for your service. Even though it makes it looks like you have a second chance in life. Do not waste it, and do not fail me."

He held out his hand towards Naruto. In turn, Naruto gave him the scroll he had in his hand.

Examining it, Death chuckled at it before closing it and placing it in his cloak. "Rise, everyone, and follow me."

Slowly, everyone followed him towards an empty patch of grass. "In a giant circle everyone. Including you, Akira-san."

With a confused look, Tomoko got into a circle with everyone else. Death stood in the middle.

"Now I want every one of you to stay where you are and focus," Death said as he began to chant in an old language no one understood. "Oh… it's better if you close your eyes."

Death swung the staff around himself, in a repetitive matter. The clouds darkened; the fog began to swallow everyone from sight. Then it happened. The fog began to swirl around the circle at high speeds. They were in the eye of it. Everyone felt like they were being sucked into it.

A giant flash of light appeared. Then nothing. The dark clouds disappeared. The fog was gone, with no signs of it ever being there. The only evidence of the conference was Death himself standing right in the middle of the field.

"That went better than I thought," he commented, as he took off his hood to reveal a man with pale skin and dark hair. "Now that I sent Akira-san back, I have to do all that paperwork."

He shivered at that, which was true hell for him.

* * *

The lingering feeling of death was all around. Guilt, pain, and misery filled the air. The village was once again in shambles, the same way he remembered it.

Shikaku sat in his chair, in the council room. Looking around he saw many faces, a few he remembered and others he made sure to make privates notes on for later. Looking towards his left, he saw the head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi, with him his guard and brother Hizashi.

Hizashi did a slight movement that caught his attention. Shikaku responded.

'It worked…' Shikaku thought as he looked around. He frowned when he saw a less bandaged Danzo walking into the room. It only deepened when he saw the civilians and the smaller clan's heads. "What a drag."

"You can say that again," Inochi said, as he sat next to him. "It's a war zone out there." Choza nodded his head in agreement.

The doors opened to show Jiraiya coming in with a bundle of blankets in hand. The third Hokage was right behind him. Everyone began to scream and shout for answers.

"Where is the Fourth Hokage…"

"What happened to the demon…"

"What's going to happen now…"

Many questions went by, and none of them been answered. Jiraiya looked up to see Shikaku and Hizashi. Once again, a silent signal was given and received. Quickly the third told the council that the fourth had sacrificed himself to save the village, and how he was going to take the mantle of Hokage again, among several other things.

'Now for the hard part…' he thought heavily.

"What exactly happened to the fox?" Fugaku said staring down at the bundle in Jiraiya's arms.

Jiraiya held it closer to him; he began to murmur to it. The third let out a troubled sigh and began to explain to them what happened to the fox.

"You're saying that the Fourth sealed the demon. In that boy," one of the council members said with horror.

All hell broke loose. Many of them screamed for the death of the newborn.

"SILENCE!" The third yelled out. It made everyone in the room silent. Shikaku coughed to get everyone's attention.

"Yes, Shikaku-san?" said a very tired Hokage.

"You are telling us that the fourth Hokage died sealing the nine-tailed fox into a newborn, thus saving the entire village." Shikaku summarized. "Who is the child anyway?"

This was part of the plan; they decided that it would be known that Naruto was semi-related to Jiraiya.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He is my responsibility," Jiraiya said in a serious tone. "His parents put me in charge of his safety before they died defending the village. His parents were Kaze and Mizu Uzumaki. It was the promise that Minato and I gave to them. To take care of Naruto. Minato wants this child to be remembered as a hero and not as the fox."

They used two names that would never be remembered. Jiraiya and Shikaku had made false documents of the 'parents.'

More disagreements were voiced throughout the room.

"Are you implying that you would take the child with you, Jiraiya?" Danzo said, eyeing Naruto.

Naruto began to stir. His hand peeked out of the blankets and tried to grab onto the toad sage's hair.

A lot of the people looked in disgust, while others looked at the baby with amusement.

"I have to travel due to my spy network, and I can't do that with the gaki-" Naruto pulled his godfather's hair. "OW… Okay, damn it, let go!"

Now it was a tug-of-war between Naruto and Jiraiya's hair. A few laughed at the show, others hid a smile. Some maintained a composed look.

As Naruto continued to move, the blanket began to fall off, showing a sun-kissed, blond, and whiskered baby.

Many of the civilians turned red in anger, the child looked exactly the way their now dead Hokage looked.

"Then what are you going to do with the child, if you can't take care of him?" a man asked. He was one of the lesser clans in the village. "Why don't we just kill it and be done with it?"

"Legally he is under my custody," Jiraiya said, as he held Naruto close to him. The baby continued to play with the sage's hair. "It's too dangerous for him to be out. Especially if the seal can still break at any moment, at this time"

The entire room was silent except for the giggles that Naruto made whenever Jiraiya attempted to get his hair back from him.

"What a drag," Shikaku sighed. He looked directly into Jiraiya's eyes, "If that's the case, you have to have someone to take care of the kid when you're out of the village, then."

"A temporary caretaker," Hiashi added in.

"Yes, that," Jiraiya said as he approached the stands. "I need people who I can trust with the kid."

As he walked towards them, many of the council members tried to avoid him and the baby.

"And I know just who," Jiraiya handed Naruto to Shikaku, who was now wide-eyed in surprise. "Thanks for volunteering, Shikaku"

"Wha-what!?" Shikaku said in surprise. This was not part of the plan, as far as the shadow wielder knew. "I-I-I can't just-"

"Thanks again! I have to go. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can come back and take care of the brat." Jiraiya smiled as he walked out of the council room. "I'll repay you once I come back."

The moment that the toad sage closed the door, Inochi and Choza began to loudly laugh at their friend's misfortune. Shikaku mouth kept opening and closing. He was unable to say anything.

Naruto smiled a toothless smile. He lightly slapped Shikaku on the cheek.

Shikaku frowned at the boy. He swore that he could see an evil glint in his eye.

"Wait one moment," One councilman yelled, pointing at the two. "We haven't even decided if the demon is going to live or not."

Shikaku's frowned deepened. He held Naruto closer to him as he began to rise. Inochi and Choza stood with him. The two were always by their friend's side, no matter what.

"I believe the fate of the child has already been decided," said a monotone voice.

Everyone turned to see Shibi Aburame, standing up as well. Buzzing was heard throughout the room. "In fact, Jiraiya-sama handed the boy to Nara-san for safekeeping until he comes back. If he comes back and finds out that the child is dead, then the one who condemned the boy would also suffer the same fate."

"I believe so," the third said in relief. "Then it has been decided that the Nara's-"

"I would nominate the Yamanaka clan to also take care of the child," Inochi added in.

"I would also want to add the Akimichi clan," Choza said.

No one wanted to say anything to it, due to the fact that the child could easily make their lives hell in the long run. Two other clans added in to help with Naruto. It took Shikaku a bit by surprise but it wasn't much since they also wanted to help Naruto in the forgotten past.

"Aburame clan will stand by to help when it is needed."

"Don't forget to add the Inuzuka clan."

The old professor couldn't help but smile. "Then the ones who called out will be the temporary caretakers and protectors of Naruto Uzumaki."

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Silent Moments of the Past

-.-

D/c: I own nothing.

-.-

Shikaku walked home with Naruto over his shoulder. The kid had a blanket over him to hide and to shelter him from the cold harsh night. Him and the other clans' heads agreed that once that everything had calmed down they would meet and see what they are going to do with Naruto.

The Nara head could feel the glares that were toward Naruto and a few towards himself. He felt Naruto small grip tighten around him.

"It's going to be okay, Naruto," Shikaku soothed. The blonde calmed down for a bit. Walking towards the Nara compound, one of his clansmen approached him.

The other informed him that there was minimal damage but several of the deer had managed to escape. However, they were caught and brought back. They were fortunate that they didn't get hurt as much as they expected.

The clansmen did not bother with acknowledging the child in clans hands, until it decided to make it presence know.

"Troublesome kid," Shikaku sighed as he brought Naruto down.

"Sir..."

"I will explain everything in the morning. Jiraiya-sama put him in our care, Ensui," Shikaku said.

Ensui nodded his head, "Is he…"

"…" Shikaku did not respond to that. "Gather the elders; I'll meet with them once I have talked to Yoshino."

Ensui nodded his head, and disappeared in the shadows.

Walking down the road to his home, he notices that the lights were on in the living room. As he quickly walked into his home, he silently walked into the living room. He saw his wife and his infant son in her hands.

Shikaku cleared his throat, catching her attention.

"Shikaku, you're okay… What or who is that!?" she pointed at Naruto.

"That's a baby" Shikaku said, playing a rather dangerous game.

"I know that, but why do you have a baby in your arms that isn't your son...?" Yoshino said in a low and careful tone. Shikamaru began to wake up in his mother's arms.

"What a drag" Shikaku said as he pulled the blanket away from Naruto's face. "This is Naruto Uzumaki. Jiraiya-sama put me in charge of his health while his is out of the village. Few of the other clans volunteered to help out as well"

Yoshino looked down into Naruto's sky blue eyes. She was thinking up multiple reasons why the old pervert would want her husband to take care of the child. The child did have a remarkable resemblance of someone she knew.

"Why?" Yoshino asked, as she moved her son in her arms. Shikamaru and Naruto faced each other. The two of them stared, not even moving or blinking. Shikamaru raised his hand towards Naruto, in turn he also did the same. It was similar to a high five, but they couldn't quite do it.

While the two young time travelers communicated, Shikaku was filling in what had happened in the council meeting.

Yoshino was in shock. She looked down at Naruto and her expression softened. Then it turned to realization, "Oh my, let me see him. I have to see if he's okay."

Yoshino handed him Shikamaru and grabbed Naruto, and took him into one of the rooms, leaving Shikaku and Shikamaru alone.

"Well that was something," Shikaku said looking down at his son. Shikamaru looked up at him with a bored look, and then he reached for his father. "You wouldn't happen to know who put that idea for this, would you?"

Shikamaru gave him a slight smirk that only a baby can do.

"Why am I not surprised?" Shikaku grumbled, as he walked into the same room his wife went into.

* * *

Buzzing was the only thing he could hear. It was a welcoming sound to the baby in the white wooden crib.

He looked all around the room, it has been years since this room look like this.

The door opened, a woman with a beige coat walked in. She walked to the crib and looked into it.

"Now, now Shino," she said, "It's time to go to sleep. It's late."

She picked up the baby, and held him close to her. Shino cuddled towards his mother. It has been years since he had seen his mother. He was not going to waste it.

* * *

Hizashi walked through the compound. He was thinking over the day's events. To say it was hectic, was an understatement. Stopping at one of the slides doors, he opened it to reveal a nursery. He smiled to himself as he walked towards the crib. Peering into it, he saw his son, Neji sound asleep. Without a care in the world.

Hizashi frowned, looking at his son's bare forehead. In four short years, a seal would be slapped there.

"Good night, my son." Hizashi kissed Neji's forehead and walked out of the room.

Neji smiled in his sleep.

* * *

Itachi sat on his family's porch. Looking up at the stars, it was almost the first time he actually noticed the stars. But he was at unease. All that time he was on the run made him on edge at every sound and movement.

'Perhaps this time I can have a 'normal' childhood,' he thought, as he got up and went to his room.

* * *

Asuma was walking around the village. In seven years, he would be leaving for the Twelve Guardians. The only reason he joined them was because of the argument he had with his father. But for the plan to work he has to go join them again. He just hoped he didn't leave in bad terms again.

"Asuma!" someone called out to him.

Turning around, Asuma nearly felt his heart stop. Running towards was is Kurenai. Asuma had to hold every fiber in his body to not meet her half way, hold her close to him, and ask for forgiveness.

"Hello Kurenai-chan," Asuma said calmly, as he walked to her.

"Asuma…" Kurenai said, tilting her head. It was the first time she heard him use –chan. "Uh…"

Asuma had a small smile on his face. He extended his arm. "Can I have the honor of walking you home, Kurenai-chan?"

Kurenai blushed, nodded her head linking her arm with his.

Asuma looked up into the dark skies. 'Perhaps now I can have some peace of mind.'

* * *

Kabuto sat on his bed, his legs crossed as he focused. His task was a harder one than all the others. He had to make sure that Danzo didn't get his hands on any of the orphans or get a tighter grip on it.

The group had decided that when Danzo makes his demands, he has to try to communicate with the others. That was the tricky part. He could do it. But, was it secure?

He heard someone coming into the room. He relaxed when he realized who it was.

"Kabuto, you should be asleep. It's very late," Nono said.

"I don't know the time," Kabuto said. He didn't have any glassed due to budget cuts. He will severely get Danzo for this.

"Really now, here let me show you," the caretaker said, as she pointed at the clock. She noticed that the boy was severely squinting at it. "Can you see it, Kabuto?"

"No."

Nono thought for a moment. She took off her glasses and placed them on his head. "What about now?"

"Yes, I can see it clearly." Kabuto smiled. He made a move to take off the glasses to give it back to her.

"No, you keep them. Take good care of them okay" Nono said, patting his head.

Even though Kabuto did very horrible things in the past, he shed a few tears and clung onto the woman. "Thank you"

Nono was caught off guard; she smiled softly and hugged him back.

* * *

Anko ran through the forest, her neck was in pain due to the curse mark she had on her neck. However, she was smirking. When she came to after the time travel, she already had the curse mark. One of the conditions the group had decided on was that she would get it, but it wouldn't harm her anymore. Orochimaru didn't even notice the change. The only thing she had to do was to have the snake bite her again… she reeeaaalllyyy wanted to kill something after that.

Her job was done. All she had to do was go to the Hokage and tell him of the lab at the coast. No matter what was going to happen, Orochimaru would be in a world of pain when he discovered all of his hiding spots had been destroyed, or Konoha had their eyes set on it.

'Only the minimum,' Anko thought. 'We can't afford having him do anything that would cause us to lose count of him.'

* * *

Shizune sat in a stool. She watched as Tsunade gambled away. The older woman had won a game earlier the day, which caused her to be on high alert. Shizune only shook her head in sorrow. The fox attach today.

Shaking her head, Shizune ordered a drink. Even though she was underage, being a ninja means, if you are old enough to kill, then you are old enough to drink.

Downing her drink, she walked towards the table where her mentor was sitting at.

"Can I join?" she asked as she sat on one of the stools.

By the end of the night, Shizune had managed to regain most of the money that Tsunade had lost. At least at this pace, they wouldn't be in debt like last time.

* * *

Zabuza walked down a mist-filled road. The now fourteen-year-old seven ninja swordsmen of the mist, was having a debate in his mind. War was going on, and how it was the beginning of the bloodlines massacres. In a few short years he would become a missing nin and leave with Haku. Now it was about becoming the missing nin that has him wondering how he was going to do it this time around.

'Haku should be around two by now' He wondered, as he continued his walk. Zabuza stop where he was and looked around. He now felt depressed, he was at the same place where he first met the ice wielder.

He felt a wave of nostalgia coming over him. "You are not a tool, Haku."

* * *

A young Temari walked silently down one of the halls. She had a small bag in her hands, and a determined look on her face. Arriving at one of the rooms, she opened the door slightly and went in, closing it behind herself. The room was a nursery. In the middle was a handmade crib.

Temari had to do a double take at what she saw. Gaara was standing, his hands were on the bars for support, a green pacifier in his mouth, with big green eyes staring down at her wearing a light green baby onesie. If only she had a camera, she would never let her baby brother down for this.

One of his hands went through the gap of the bars, trying to reach his sister.

Temari smiled as she walked towards her brother. "Now, now, behave."

Gaara frowned at his older sister.

"Don't give me that face," Temari snapped at him as she took something out of the bag she had. It was a teddy bear. It was the same one Gaara carried around when he was younger, in the last timeline. "Here."

Gaara grabbed the bear and quickly fell into the mattress. He held the toy close to him as he closed his eyes. Slumber quickly took him. Temari smiled. One of the conditions for this bargain was for Gaara to have a better working seal. Right now is that proof. Him sleeping soundlessly without a care.

"Goodnight, baby brother" Temari whispered to her brother, as she walked out of the room.

"Nigh," Gaara whispered out to his older sister.

* * *

"This wasn't part of the deal," groaned a teen as she slowly got up. "Where am I?"

She looked around herself; it looked to be a traditional Japanese home. It looked like no one had lived here in a few years, judging by the fact that most of the furniture was covered with sheets and dust.

Getting up, she fixed her dress and picked up her hat that had fallen off her head. She carried it with her instead of putting it back on.

"This looks far too familiar," she said aloud to herself. Looking at a mantle, she saw a picture frame was turned down. Flipping it over, she wipe off the dust.

Gasping at the picture, she dropped it and quickly ran out of the home. Not even looking back, the frame had broken and the picture slipped out.

The picture showed two young kids hugging each other. A boy and a girl, the boy had a mask covering the bottom portion of his face, and had pointed silver hair. He was hugging the girl from behind. The girl had dark colored hair, tied in a high bun with bangs that were styled in a swept motion and big deep blue-black eyes. She was smiling as the boy hugged her. They looked extremely happy.

When the girl opened the door, wind came into the room causing the picture to flip. On the backside of it had a red heart, in the middle of the red heart it read, "Kakashi and Tomoko, for life and for death."

Tomoko did not know what do now. She was back at the village and if her guess is, right, alive again. The only she had in her mind right now is to find a way to communicate with the Shinigami, without killing herself of course. Putting the hat back on, she walked off.

She heard movements, and went into defensive, pulling out a senbon needle she had hidden in her sleeves. "Someone there?"

"You are trespassing on private property," a male called out. It sounded like it came from the trees.

"I mean no harm," Tomoko said, as she slowly edged away. Her throat became to get dry; she recalled the voice.

Rustling was heard, and a figure came out from his hiding spot. Tomoko instantly recognized the person. 'Kakashi… oh crud…'

Tomoko tensed, as she remembered what date the time travellers picked. She only paled. Right now at this time she was considered M.I.A., missing in action, when it actually was K.I.A., killed in action. No one knew that except for the third and fourth hokage and few of the elders.

How was she going to play this off? Gritting her teeth, she went through all the things she can do… it wasn't much of a list. She needed a plan to talk to one to the time travellers. The only one that could help her was Jiraiya. However, he could be anywhere. Then that left Shikaku and Hizashi. All the others were in their diapers or too young to have any voice.

"So, option C," Tomoko said as she threw the senbon at Kakashi and jumped away into the trees. Kakashi dodged the senbon and ran after her.

Tomoko quickly ran through multiple hand signs as she ran.

Kakashi was gaining on her, at a fast speed. "Get back here!"

He was close to breaking down. Today he had lost his last precious person. His teacher died due to the sealing of the fox. Kakashi was already in deep depression. He had been told that his fiancé was missing in action. Or should it be ex-fiancé. The two had gotten into an argument and he ended up saying something that caused her to leave, one of the biggest regret in his life. He was officially alone now.

Kakashi came back to his clan's home, to find this girl here. He was mad and over the edge, this girl made him think of her. The way she looks, smells and talks reminds him of her.

"Stop!" he yelled once again to her.

"If I didn't stop the last time you said it, why do you think I would do it this time?" Tomoko yelled, as she slammed her hands against a branch. "Akuma no Tobira!"

A black portal opened in front of her. Tomoko took off her hat, showing Kakashi her face. "This won't be the last time we see each other, Hatake."

Tomoko jumped into the portal and it quickly closed behind her. Kakashi froze in his spot.

"Tomo-chan," he said silently before falling to his knees.


	4. Chapter 4

Silent Moments of the Past

-.-

D/C: I own nothing.

-.-

Three days later...

It was early in the morning; everything was quiet. The birds were chirping. The village began its construction from the attack, people plotting. Ahhh, any normal day in Konoha.

Shikaku and Yoshino were fast asleep while the other two occupants were wide awake. Too bad that they couldn't do much due to the fact they were teenagers in babies' bodies. They were sharing the same crib, due to the fact they did not have anywhere to put Naruto, and it was big enough for them.

The Nara's and Naruto did not leave the home due to the fact that they had to deal with clan business. Therefore, there was not much time to go anywhere, but there wasn't much to do at the village due to restorations.

Naruto could only sigh in both relief and in joy. This was as close to a family setting he has ever gotten. At least he did not have to go to the orphanage.

However, when did this became part of the deal? If only he could speak and ask the napping baby next to him.

Following Shikamaru's example, he decided to take a nap. Babies need their nap time.

Yoshino woke up first. She got ready and went to see the boy, leaving her husband to rest, and closing the door behind her. She had an extra pep to her walk.

The moment that she closed the door, Shikaku sat up in his bed, with his eyes still closed. "You can come in. She tends to take a while with them."

The window opened and a head poked through. The person was clawing her way into the room. "Shikaku… whose idea was to bring me back…" she seethed in a painful tone.

Shikaku opened his eyes and looked down at Tomoko. "When you went missing, she went into depression. Plus, in your papers, you are missing in action and not killed. The only one who actually knows is the fourth. Yes, the third and all the bag of bones knows, but only the cover of a cover story. Who do you think led and is leading the investigation? I changed it so that it made it look like you had a possibility of returning. A small one but…"

Tomoko stood up. Her hair was dishevelled, and her dress was torn from several places. Her hat looked like it had been through a shredder.

"What happened to you?" Shikaku said as he sized up her scruffy outfit.

"I ran into Tora," Tomoko stated.

Shikaku flinched at that.

"I ran into Hatake," Tomoko restated as she tried to fix herself.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. "How…"

"I ended up at the Hatake compound and he was there." Tomoko sighed as she walked back towards the window. "So what now…? I wasn't part of the plan."

Shikaku sat there, thinking of a strategy. Then he went into detail what he wanted her to do. Tomoko nodded her head, glared at him, shivered in fear, before finally agreeing to the plan.

Nodding her head, Tomoko said, "I'll look the part of a missing nin returning home. Just make sure that you are there at that time."

She then proceeded to climb out of the window and leave the compound.

Shikaku sat there for a moment. Then the door swung open.

"Come help me with the boys," Yoshino snapped at him. Then she closed the door just as soon as she had opened it.

Shikaku smiled at that. When he died, he never thought he would hear her voice again. Or anything else for that matter, as evident of last night activities…

Smirking to himself, he got up and got dressed.

Yoshino had already dressed Shikamaru and Naruto. She had put Naruto in her son's clothes. They wore the same thing, a forest green onesie, a little cap, and mittens. She cooed at the two of them.

Then, a solemn expression came to her face. She had found out a few days ago that her younger sister had gone missing. She was sent out onto a mission and she never returned. Her husband has been the main person in the lead of the investigation. So far, there was nothing.

Arms circled around her from behind her. "We're going to have to go shopping for the little guy."

"Yes," Yoshino said as she leaned back towards her husband. "Now come, we need to go."

"Go? Go where?" Shikaku said.

Yoshino gave him a glare. "To pick up things for the boys. Now we need double of everything."

Shikaku let out an irritated sigh. She was right, they needed to get things for Naruto and for Shikamaru as well. However, if they went out now with Naruto… he'd rather not think about it. Shikamaru told him some of the things that Naruto had told him personally. "No, you stay here, I'll go get them."

"Why? I have to make sure it's the right things," Yoshino said, as she pulled away from him. "You know that I can ta-"

"Yoshino," Shikaku said in a serious tone. "Think about it. Half of the idiots in the council wanted the kid dead. What would happen if they see him in the village in plain sight?"

Unbeknownst to them, Naruto began to tremble. Shikamaru watched as his dad tried to convince his mother to stay with them. By the looks of it, he was winning. Then he looked at his friend trembling. Grabbing one of his stuff animals, he gave it to him. Naruto stopped and looked at his friend. Smiling, Naruto held on to the toy for comfort. Shikamaru gave him a nod.

"Alright, just make sure you get the right things. I'm going to make a list. If you miss one thing…" Yoshino warned her husband.

"I know, Dear," Shikaku grumbled, as he watched Yoshino make the list of things she wanted him to get. He noticed Naruto hugging a stuffed deer, while his own son was taking a nap… at least, he thought Shikamaru was taking a nap.

"To imagine what you had to endure the last time, Naruto," Shikaku whispered.

Naruto looked up to him and shrugged his shoulders.

A knock was heard from the front door. Shikaku summoned a shadow clone to answer it. He turned around when the clone dispelled itself, showing him the memoirs.

"Shikaku-sama," said one of his clansmen in the memoir, walking up to them.

"Ryou, what's going on?" Shikaku said, turning around to talk to him.

"There's a mob at the front gates of the compound," Ryou explained in a serious tone. "Apparently they want… something."

Shikaku already knew what they wanted. They wanted Naruto.

They sure as hell weren't gonna get him.

"They appeared around little less than an hour ago," Ryou said with a bored look. "Apparently the mighty council doesn't understand the part of 'secrecy'."

Shikaku snorted at that. "How close are they from coming in?"

"We told them if they take a single step into the compound then we won't hesitate to kill them." The man yawned. "Troubling people. This came by Anbu just a little while ago."

The younger man gave Shikaku a letter, which was signed by the Hokage.

Shikaku grabbed the letter and he started to read the letter. A frown appeared on his face before turning back to its usual bored look.

"There, I have everything here that I want you to get… What's going on?" Yoshino said, coming back into the living room.

"Ryou, stay here with Yoshino and the boys," Shikaku said. "I'm going to have a few others come as well."

"Shikaku, what's happening?" Yoshino said. "Are you being sent out to a mission?"

"Yes, but it's here in the village," Shikaku told her. Yoshino was about to yell at him. "I will still have time to get the things."

"Really, then go. Go and see what it is." Yoshino snapped at him. "I really am warning you, don't miss anything…"

"Yes, yes, you troublesome woman," Shikaku grumbled as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Well don't just stand there, make yourself useful," Yoshino snapped at Ryou. Ryou started to grumble as Yoshino began to tell him what she wanted him to do.

Shikaku headed towards the main gate for the Nara compound. He saw a mob there. They tried to go through the gates but they were held back by multiple Nara's.

"Kill the Demon!"

"Destroy it!"

"Murderer!"

"Revenge for my family!" Many more things were said.

"Leave, or we are going to use force," one said to the mob. That just got them even madder.

"You can't use ninjutsu against civilians," one yelled at them.

"No, but we can get you arrested for causing a damn racket," someone called out.

Several anbu appeared around the mob, including several members of the Yamanaka, Akimichi, Aburame, and the Inuzuka clans. The only clan heads there where Inochi and Tsume.

One of the members of the mob who, by the looks of it, was the leader, came up towards Shikaku, who was now exiting the gates.

"We demand that little monster to be brought to us," he demanded, "in order to officially kill it."

"Under what order?" Shikaku yawned, ignoring the man. He was ordering a few of the other Nara's to go back to protect Yoshino and the boys. "As far as I know, I don't take orders from you."

"Beat it," Tsume growled, as she walked up to Shikaku. "Shikaku."

"Tsume," Shikaku greeted back, before turning back to the mob. "Troublesome. Leave before we make you leave."

"We are not leaving until that dem-"

The man was cut off by a kunai in the middle of his forehead.

"It been made the law to not to talk about an S-class secret," someone said in a tired tone.

Everyone turned to see Kakashi Hatake sitting on the gate. He was glaring down at the mob. Who all quickly dispersed, by the way. The anbu took the dead man with them and left.

"You know that won't be the last time they do something like that," Inochi stated, walking towards his friends.

"Cowards," Tsume spat out. "Loyal my ass."

"Tsume now, let's not do anything rash," Inochi said to her.

"I take it you two want to talk about Naruto," Shikaku said. A few of the people from the other clans walked towards them.

They explained that their clan heads were busy, and wanted to talk about Naruto. One from each clan gave him a scroll before leaving.

"What a drag," Shikaku groaned as he pocketed the scrolls. "I have to go, I have a meeting with the Hokage."

"Right," Inochi said, shaking his head. "As soon as I heard several of them plotting how they were going to kill the kid, I came here as soon as I could."

"They ran past my compound doing the same thing," Tsume said in her ruff voice. "Talk about staying low and out of sight."

The other two nodded their heads towards Shikaku and headed back to their own homes.

* * *

Anko was sitting in the Hokage's office. She had been in the T&I, and she was severely disappointed with the way they worked. When she got back… ohhh, there was going to be some serious changes. Her thoughts went back to the early days when she bumped into someone entering the office. It was going to be a long morning too.

The hokage was sitting behind his desk doing his paper work. She could hear him grumbling how the fourth seemed to want to torture him even in the afterlife.

Anko had quickly explained what had happened to her former teacher and all of his experiments, including the locations of his labs and hideouts. (Actually, it was only the major minor locations. They needed to have the snake in the scene; they just did not want him screwing around and changing everything.)

Then the door opened to reveal Shikaku. Anko inwardly smirked as Shikaku gave her a bored look.

"Finally, a break." The third sighed as he put his pen down.

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku greeted him as he walked in.

"Shikaku," Hiruzen replied, "take a seat." Shikaku took a seat and crossed his arms.

"Uhm… Hokage-sama," Anko said in fake concern, "what's going to happen now? We can't just stay here. She could be anywhere."

Hiruzen let out a sigh. "Shikaku, are there any updates on the Akira case?"

"Yes, hokage-sama, a small one, but it's a major one if my theory is right. What does that have to do with the girl?"

Shikaku nodded his head towards Anko. Anko had to fight back an irritated twitch.

The older man gave him a long stare. "This is Anko Mitarashi. She is the former apprentice to… Orochimaru. Anko, this is Shikaku Nara. He is leading the investigation towards Tomoko Akira's disappearance."

He hesitated at the last bit, since that could be an understatement with the information now.

"You're leading the case about Tomoko-senpai," Anko repeated, looking up at Shikaku. "Then you can help me."

"Yes, and what do you need help with?" Shikaku inquired, then looked at the third. "The update is that we discovered residual chakra in the area. It was confirmed that it belonged to Tomoko Akira."

"Yes, but they could just be left over," Hiruzen stated. He was told that Tomoko did a kinjutsu seal. The reports stated when she had done it, it was the last time she was ever seen. It was a mystery. But in total, the seal she used required a sacrifice to be done. Still… "Or they could be left after…"

Anko grew impatient. "Hokage-sama, I personally saw her. She was running off, and she looked lost and confused. I believe she had amnesia or something."

"Why didn't you try to make contact with her?" Hiruzen asked.

Anko hesitated. "It was when I was thinking of doing that but I couldn't, because I was worried that snake would do something to her."

The other two men nodded their head in agreement. Tomoko had a special ability, which only she could use and could only be taught by her, if she wished it, of course. If Orochimaru got a hold of her…

Shikaku put on a serious face. He was thinking of a plan. Of course he already had one. But the third didn't know it. By the sound of it, Anko knew the plan already.

"We have to find her before anyone else," Shikaku announced. "If she is found by someone who manipulates her memories then we are going to have a problem."

"She can be anywhere now," the third said, shaking his head. "She was last seen a week ago. We don't even know if she is still in the Land of Fire."

"Tomoko Akira, where the hell are you, you troublesome girl," Shikaku muttered as he stood up.

As if the heavens had heard him, a portal appeared on the ceiling, just above Shikaku and Anko. Tomoko fell out of it and hit her head against the desk with a loud bang.

The three stood in their spots, trying to process what had just happened.

'This wasn't part of the plan,' Shikaku and Anko thought as they saw the girl trying to get up while holding her head that was now bleeding.

"Wha-" the third was in shock. This was the first time this has happened.

"Oooowwww," Tomoko groaned holding her head. "What the name of death hit me?"

She looked around to see the three staring at her. "Where am I… Oh, hello, Hokage-sama."

With that, she fell back with another bang. More silence…

"We found her." Anko laughed nervously.

"What a drag." Shikaku sighed, looking down at the teen, who was now covered in blood. His mind went back to what he was told. Kakashi hadn't told the third that he had seen Tomoko. It had been three days. That would explain why he looked even more down than before.

* * *

Kakashi stood in front of the hospital. His hands in his pockets in tight grips, his head was down to force the tears away. He had just been told that Tomoko Akira was back in the village and in the hospital. Apparently, she had used a substitute in the last minute with an enemy. She had been wandering around the Land of Fire until she suddenly appeared in the Hokage office.

Taking in a deep breath, he made his way inside.

* * *

Yoshino Nara was in a hospital sitting next to a bed. On that bed, rested her younger sister, Tomoko Akira. Shikaku was doing the paperwork for Tomoko. Shikamaru and Naruto where being taking care of by Choza and his clan.

"What happened to you, Tomo-chan?" Yoshino whispered as she moved her sister's bangs from her face.

"Wha... What happened?" Tomoko groaned waking up.

"Tomoko," Yoshino cried, hugging her sister.

"Yoshi- you're- pain-" Tomoko croaked as she tried to get free.

Yoshino let her go before glaring at her. "What were you thinking, running off like that? What was in that head of yours?"

Tomoko looked up at her sister. She didn't want to tell her of the actual reason she left. The only person she told was Shikaku. That was because Kakashi told him when he was looking for her.

"I… do not remember," Tomoko said, that was partially true. The hit she took did mess up some of her memories. She knew she was upset with Kakashi, but she just couldn't seem to remember why. "All I remember is going to the Hokage office for a mission. After that it's all blurry. Where's Kakashi?"

"We really need to get you caught up. He's here in the hospital. I sent him to get some food for himself." Yoshino sighed as she walked towards the door. "A lot has happened since you left for that mission. I'm going to get a doctor."

As Yoshino opened the door, she saw that Kakashi had his hand up to knock on it.

"Oh, Yoshino-san," Kakashi said, looking away from her.

"Kakashi," Yoshino said. She nodded her head. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, then agreed. Yoshino closed the door and headed into an empty room.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Yoshino-san?" Kakashi said.

Yoshino frowned at him. Then it turned into a worried one. "I want to talk to you about Tomoko."

He tensed at that. "Is she okay? What happened to her?"

Yoshino raised her hand to him to silence him. "She's okay. She appeared in the Hokage's office using her abilities. But she hit her head and apparently has a case of amnesia."

He froze at that "Does she still…" he gulped, "still remember me?"

"She asked for you," Yoshino said in a normal volume now. "I want you to go in there and help her. She's going to need help."

Kakashi nodded his head and made his way towards the room. He knocked on it.

"Come in."

Kakashi hesitated for a moment.

He opened the door. "Tomoko."

Tomoko looked up at him, eyes opened wide. "Kakashi… are you going to stand there or what?"

Kakashi let out a small sigh of relief. She wasn't going to tell him to get out or run off. In one second, Kakashi ran to Tomoko and hugged her tightly.

Tomoko was taken by surprise. "Kakashi." She hugged him back unsure.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kakashi began to say in the crook of her neck.

"What happened before I went to that mission that made you sorry?" Tomoko asked him as she tried to pull away. "What happened when I was gone?"

Kakashi tensed up at that. He let go of her and sat down on the chair that Yoshino had been sitting on. Holding her hand, he said, "A lot has happened. Far too much."

"Kakashi, tell me. I know that I should be mad at you but I don't remember why," Tomoko said, looking into Kakashi's uncovered eye.

He looked down at his lap, then looked at his hand holding hers. "I said something that made you… go on that mission."

Tomoko didn't say or do anything; Kakashi took that as a sign to leave. But Tomoko quickly hugged him. It shocked him.

"You know that most would have lied," Tomoko murmured to him. "But… hey, what are you going to expect?"

Kakashi fell into her embrace. "I shouldn't have said it"

"Okay now, stop that," Tomoko snapped at him. "I don't even remember what happened. Now, do you want me to steal all of your masks again? You know I will."

Kakashi, for the first time in days, began to laugh. It was a small one, but still one nonetheless. "Nice to know you're back."

"Sure it is," Tomoko said, as she laid back down on the bed. "Now tell me what happened in the last few days. Oh, one more thing, what did I tell you about wearing that mask when we are alone?"

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Silent Moments of the Past

-.-

D/C: I own nothing.

-.-

Tomoko sat alone in a hospital room. Yoshino had gone off to check on the boys after making Shikaku went and bought the things for the boys. She smiled at the thought of her older sister.

Yoshino wanted to have her stay in the Nara compound so that Tomoko was taken care of, but Kakashi had come in and said that he would be the one to do that, in their apartment where they had lived before she left for the mission. To say Yoshino was disturbed was putting it easy. Stating that he would take care of her, she retorted that he had to help the village and wouldn't have time. The argument ended when Kakashi stated they were engaged, and he would take care of her in his best abilities. In addition, Tomoko said she wanted to stay with Kakashi, and that Yoshino now had her boys.

She would only be a bother…

Yoshino doesn't really mind the Hatake. That's why she and Shikaku agreed to the engagement at such a young age. Plus a few other reasons as well…

The only thing that she warned them about was the sleeping arrangements, and that she would come over often.

Kakashi was heading to the Hokage's office to see what happened to her since she 'couldn't remember'.

Now she was all alone. She closed her eyes. As she did, she felt a sudden pull.

* * *

Gasps were heard throughout. One by one, they opened their eyes to see a terrifying yet comforting sight. Not to mention it was a very odd one as well. Everyone was back at the tea party. It was just like how it was before they had left to travel back in time. The only difference was that they looked just as they were. Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino, and Gaara were in baby clothing. The only things visible from their seats were the top of their heads. Temari was wearing a party dress. She barely could reach for a cupcake in the middle of the table. As for Neji, he was a little bigger than the boys and could see what was happening since the top half of his head could be seen. The others were dressed in the same at the age of the moment in time.

"Glad everyone came," Death said, looking around. He didn't seem to think it was strange for some of the guests to be infants. "Now, I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things…"

"Dammit…" Tomoko cursed as she appeared suddenly landing in the middle of the table. She was wearing the hospital gown and still had bandages around her head. "Where am I... Damn… there are no free seats. Why are they still babies?"

Then everyone else around the table did a double take and panic began to set in.

"Oh, right, let me fix that!" Death snapped his fingers. Everyone at the table turned back to themselves when they were in the war. "As for you, Akira-san…"

The table shook at it grew. Now there was room for one more person. Tomoko got up and sat next to Gaara at the end of the table.

"Okay, now, that's settled," Death said cheerily, causing everyone to sweatdrop. "How's life treating you all?"

The first one to break the ice was Hizashi. "It's irritating being treated like a slave again."

"I have to travel to all of the places I've been to…" Jiraiya grumbled, but then he let out a lecherous smile. "But I don't have to worry about my books though, haha- OW- dammit, you brat!"

"Pervy-sage!" Naruto yelled at him with his fist raised.

"What a drag…" Shikaku sighed.

"Troublesome…." Shikamaru agreed.

"-That reminds me!" Naruto yelled out once more. He turned and pointed at the two Nara's. "Whose idea was it to have me under the protection of five clans...? Not that I'm complaining or anything."

"That was my idea," Shikamaru said with a yawn as he lightly slapped Naruto's hand so that it wasn't pointing at him anymore.

"What do you mean by that?" Temari asked, looking at the two.

Gaara listened into that. He wanted to hear how Naruto was being treated now.

"Originally, Jiraiya was named my guardian after my 'parents' gave me to the Hokage to use me to seal the fox in. My 'parents' final wish was for Jiraiya to take care of me…" Naruto explained. He gave said pervert the side eye.

"I couldn't take the kid with me in my travels, so I needed a plan," Jiraiya added in. At least he looked remorseful for his previous actions.

"Naruto will be placed in the temporary caretaker's care until Naruto is old enough to take care of himself, or when Jiraiya is in town," Shikamaru said with a tired expression. "The other clans volunteered for the job after my old man continued with the plan."

"I wasn't going to allow the brat to go through half the shit he went through the first time around. " Shikaku grumbled. He ignored the looks almost everyone was giving him and Naruto at this point. "My own brat forced my hand to take in Naruto. If I hadn't gone along with the plan, then he said that we shouldn't be surprised if we found Naruto at home one day."

Many people wanted to laugh. Some did but others managed to remain solemn. Many knew the mistreatment Naruto went through and they did not want a repeat of that.

"I had peaceful nights…" Gaara whispered, breaking the uneasy silence that fell over them. "He doesn't talk to me anymore as he did before."

"Of course, my boy." Death laughed aloud. "I fixed that seal and improved it!"

"People don't treat me like a plague all that much like before," Anko said with an eye roll. She was going to have to do _things _to regain her previous reputation.

"I'm getting close to asking Kurenai to a date," Asuma announced. That got a snort from Shikamaru, but he ignored it for the most part.

"I'm back at the academy," Itachi joined in, shrugging plainly. Then a smirk came to him. "But I want to take things slow. To hell with what my father wants from me."

"I'm all held up making sure that Lady Tsunade doesn't gamble too much." Shizune shrugged, then followed it with a heavy sigh. "I started to gamble to get back what she lost."

"Do you believe you'll get that debt of hers to be not as bad as before?" Jiraiya asked with a smirk. This only caused Shizune to cry out as she slammed her head against the table repeatedly.

"I have seen something rather peculiar around my home…" Shino said.

"What is it?" Asuma asked, looking at the bug user.

With just one word, everyone was in high alert.

"Root."

"There have been signs of Root around the orphanage as well," Kabuto added with a frown. "Any day now, they'll come and try to take one of us once more."

"What did he say then, to make you volunteer for it?" Shikaku asked. He stared at the silver-haired nin with a calculating but tired look.

"He said to Nono that if she didn't give him a few of us, he then would make sure that there will be no more funds for the orphanage," Kabuto spat out. "He's the reason why the orphanage is in shambles as it is."

Everyone was now mad at the war hawk.

"What about secret fundings?" Jiraiya said to him.

"Secretly funding them would raise suspicion on why the orphanage is doing better…" Neji mused aloud.

"Not if I do it in the clear," Jiraiya replied.

Everyone stopped what he or she were doing and looked at him, awaiting his response.

Death chuckled to himself. 'This is actually a first. They are working together. Rather hard to find these types of people now.'

He continued to watch them as they made plans. How are they were going to do it would be rather interesting.

"I understand what you want me to do," Kabuto said with a determined look. "I will do everything I can."

"Senpai, is it true that you and Kakashi are moving in together?" Anko asked Tomoko. If all other information did not have the room's entire attention, this did.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto asked, pointing at Tomoko, "how do you know him?"

Asuma quietly laughed to himself. Shizune smiled, and Jiraiya had a warm smile on his face. Anko just snorted.

"They are, or were, engaged," Hizashi revealed to Naruto, with an eyebrow raised at Tomoko.

"Are. I don't even remember what happened and I'd rather not… talk about it," Tomoko said with a blush.

Naruto was agape. He never knew that his teacher was engaged, and at such a young age too. Then again, compared to his other secrets….

"Alright, alright, enough of that," Death called out, clapping his hands together. "The reason I called you all here is that I am going to give you all… a gift."

The presence around the table turned cold and deadly. Mist began to fill the entire area.

"Now… where do I start…?" Death said in a dark laughing tone.

* * *

Shikaku took in a deep gasp as he opened his eyes. They were wide as he looked around. He apprehensively walked down the road to his home.

He yelped as sudden pain swept through his left arm. He used his other hand to clutch it tightly. He gritted his teeth to hold back a scream.

After what seemed like an eternity, the pain was gone. Heaving, Shikaku examined his hand and paled. On the palm of his left hand was now a seal that said Death.

'Damn it...' He panted, his chest rising and falling. 'If it hurts this bad, how are the boys dealing with it?' Shikaku quickly headed back to his home to see how bad Naruto and Shikamaru had it.

* * *

At the exact same time, everyone else who came from the past was going through the same thing. All of them had a pain in their left arm that lasted for a quarter of an hour, and all of them had a seal on their left palm. All of them shed a few tears, held back a scream, or they let it all go.

As the pain ended, they all agreed to make someone's life…. hell.

* * *

Five heads of different clans were lounging around in the Nara home. They were doing a regular checkup of the Uzumaki's progress. It was casual but still maintained a business feel. All the kids were in the middle of the group. Shikamaru and Choji were quietly eating in the corner. Shino watched Kiba and Naruto fight over a toy to only laugh at each other in amusement. There was also Hana, who was playing with some kids from the Nara clan.

Yoshino was cooking up a storm in the kitchen. She did not want anyone to be in there to help her. Shikaku idly advised it too.

In the last three months, they had been alternating Naruto between the five clans. Naruto seemed to be welcomed in most of the clans. However, there were a few in some clans that resented the baby, but they hadn't made any foul moves against him yet.

"It is rather peculiar how Shino interacts with them," Shibi stated in a lighter monotone voice as he looked down at Shino, who was now interacting with Naruto and Kiba. Shino was pulling on the toy with a smile on his face. When Shino arrived in the Nara home, Naruto and Shikamaru had done a double take on him. He came in smiling, laughing and… with no sunglasses. Oh… if only they could operate a camera without looking out of place with it.

"It's Naruto," Shikaku stated with a hint of pride. Even though Naruto was not his son by blood, with him here, the clan leader saw him as a second son, as well as the other clan heads. "He has a way to get everyone to follow him."

"Don't I know it," Tsume snorted. "I had to run off to a meeting and had one of my nephew's take care of the brats." She looked down at Kiba and Naruto with a smirk. "When I came out of the meeting he ended up losing them both and claimed that Naruto was a wolf in sheep's clothing."

The others gave her a raised eyebrow, but Shikaku already could think of all the things that could've happened. It seemed that the kid was going to surpass his previous pranking record.

"The kid had actually convinced the others to follow him, and they all somehow ended up in the kennels, then in the kitchen pantry and at the backyard." Tsume laughed. "Then before the kid could run them all up, he tried to tell that they escaped him. I looked into the room to see that they were all sleeping."

"I actually caught him and Choji in the pantry once," Choza said looking down at his son fondly. "It's good that he has friends."

Everyone nodded their heads at that. They knew that the kids were going to need them when they grow up and join the academy.

Oh, how Shikaku knew it. He breathed a mental sigh. A lot had happened in the last few months. Jiraiya returned for a couple of times but to mostly to give out reports and donations to the orphanage. He had grown up in an orphanage and did not want the kids there to grow up in the same setting he grew up in, also saying that to expect more in the future as well. He did take Naruto off the clan's hand during his stay, but he went back to their care whenever the toad sage had to leave again.

The war hawk was secretly pissed off at that, since he did not have the same control over the place as he did before. Danzo had made contact with Orochimaru and went to collect an orphan. Much to the dismay to the group, they left him alone. However, this time, Kabuto was with Nono during the time and volunteered earlier so the caretaker wouldn't be sent out. Just as they expected the two to leave, they demanded for a few orphans. Kabuto had to hold a growl at the thought. Just as Danzo and his 'guard' were about to use force, Jiraiya came in.

Danzo glared at the sage, stating that all he wanted was to see the kids and that he had brought packages for them. That he had one for every one of them and counted too. All that the old war hawk got out of everything was Kabuto.

The look on Danzo face in the next council meeting was priceless for the time travelers.

The other thing was Tomoko. She moved in with Kakashi when she was deemed okay. Kakashi was pretty much glued to her. Always making she was okay and to not have her in harm's way, much to her dismay. However, she let him do his thing. She has not seen him in well over seventeen years and he was not at the memorial stone as often as before. The two would babysit the clans kids when the adults were at council meetings at times.

The other thing was the seal in all of their hands. Apparently, only the group could see them and no one else. Others could see them… under certain circumstances. The seal worked as a communicator between everyone in the group. Each of them had also been given to them a thin scroll. On that scroll was the name of the people that Death wanted. As his messengers, they had to follow it through.

To be continued…

R/R.


	6. Chapter 6

Silent Moments of the Past

-.-

D/C: I own nothing.

-.-

Tomoko was walking down one of the main roads in the village. She sported a tight fitting spandex, long sleeved, black midriff shirt, showing her stomach covered in mesh amour. It was accompanied by a pair of black pants that were taped at the ends and simples black sandals. Her headband was tied around her left thigh, above it two hip pouches. Dark colored armguards and shin guards that had straps were tied along her arms and legs, and a shuriken was strapped on her right thigh along with a tanto. Her hair was still styled the same, only that the band that held her hair now was a dark blue.

Tomoko had just come back from her first solo mission in who knew how long. She was heading out to report in. Looking around the street, she noticed that quite a few were glaring at her. Simply ignoring them, she headed off.

The civilians didn't like the fact that she took care of Naruto. The village had been shunning the clans who took in the boy and anyone who took his side. A rift had begun to form and it was going to be hell later on if they didn't try to control it soon. Fortunately the hate was somewhat less, compared to last time. But still…

Letting out a sigh, she stopped walking and placed her hands in her pockets. "You can come out, Kakashi."

From behind a building, Kakashi, in his anbu clothing, came out and walked towards her with a sheepish look. "You caught me."

Tomoko rolled her eyes at that and continued to walk forward. "Of course. How was your mission?"

"Good," Kakashi replied, following her. "Yours?"

"It was a simple mission, Kakashi," Tomoko stated. "I got what I needed and finished what I needed to do." 'Plus an extra personal mission as well,' she thought.

Kakashi semi-glared at her with his one eye. "It was a seduction mission, wasn't it?"

Tomoko gave away a twitch. "And if it was?"

Kakashi let out a sigh. "You know how I feel when you go on one of those, Tomo-chan..."

"I know, I know," Tomoko said as she rolled her eyes. "You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Kakashi let out a tired sigh, "I know that… its just that..."

Tomoko stopped walking and looked at him. "I get where you are going with this, but can you please, just please, stop doing this to yourself?"

She held his hand to comfort him. "Can you do that, for me?"

Kakashi looked at her with his visible eye, "...I'll try, Tomo-chan."

She smiled at him and pecked his cheek. "I have to report in, I'll see you later."

Kakashi nodded at her and watched her disappear into the horizon. As she went off, Kakashi let out a deep breath. 'I don't want to lose you, Tomoko. That's why I'm like this…'

* * *

Itachi sat at his desk, leaning his head against the palm of his hand. It had been a few months since he started at the academy. In his last life, he should have graduated in the first month. He decided to lay back and enjoy life. Of course, this caused a few problems. For example, the missions he took during this period. It was concluded that the others would do them to keep the timeline intact.

Of course, there were a few issues with his father, the head of the Uchiha clan. Itachi mentally rolled his eyes at that. Fugako had it made up in his mind that he was a prodigy and wanted him to excel. To be what he was in the past.

Too bad. That was not happening this time round.

Plans had already been placed and he wanted to enjoy what he had missed out on. Sitting back on his chair, he had his sights set on one of his classmates. Believe it or not, he had feelings for a girl. However, due to the issues he had, he had never gotten close to her. Perhaps now he could pursue her…

If only she could stop her three dogs from attacking him every time… or glaring at him, at that very moment.

Itachi nearly snapped his neck to avoid having eye contact with the girl. Growling was heard, but not enough to be a disturbance. From the corner of his eye, he saw the girl looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

Cold sweat ran down his neck as the girl stared at him. He reeeaaalllyyyy had it bad for her.

Fortunately for him, the bell rang, signalling that school had ended for the day. But there was one thing that Itachi didn't miss at all. Well, it was multiple of them. And they were staring at him with hearts and stars in their eyes.

'Now I remember why I graduated earlier,' Itachi said as he hid a gulp.

As he calmly headed out the doors, he ignored all their confessions of love and dates they told him as he walked out. He took a quick look around to see if the girl and her three dogs were still around. Much to his disappointment, she wasn't there anymore.

Then it happened. As he got near the door to the classroom, the fan girls united and ran towards him. Itachi didn't care at that moment about his Uchiha pride or anything for that matter. He paled, his eyes widen and he screamed. The girls could only watched as he bolted out the door like death was on his heels…

As he ran around the academy, the fan girls were screaming for his attention.

"Begone, demons!" Itachi yelled at them as he ran. He made a tight corner, and it eas at that moment he felt someone pull on his shirt. The next thing he knew, he was in a supply closet with three dogs and their owner. Who was glaring at him… with a blush on her face that made the red markings on her face seem to blend into her cheeks. His mind froze.

Even in his last life, he never got close to someone. This was as close to a girl that he has ever gotten to.

"H-h-hello, Hana-chan," Itachi stuttered. He then frowned inwardly. 'Real smooth, Itachi, real smooth.'

"Hey," Hana said.

* * *

Zabuza patrolled around the borders of his home country. In the last few months, he had been killing all the marks that were sent to him, including gathering information and killing the targets of the group.

It was strange. None of the victims were connected in any way that he could see. He had taken down note after note. Nothing seemed to pop into his mind. Maybe one of the Nara's could figure it out since they were geniuses….

Yippie… Zabuza rolled his eyes as he thought of his… allies.

It felt weird for the demon of the mist to be out in the open. He was used to being in the shadows and out of sight. Rule number one for assassins, by the way.

As he approached the border that connected the land of fire to the land of water, he felt a familiar presence. He stopped on a tree branch, and waited for a moment.

A whistle was heard from a short distance. Zabuza returned the call and jumped off the branch.

At the other side, an anbu with a bear mask appeared.

"About time you got here," Zabuza grunted as he took out two scrolls.

The anbu reached up to his mask and took it off, to reveal Hizashi Hyuuga. "I needed to get away without attracting attention to my team."

Hizashi took the scrolls and put them in his pouch. "What have you found out lately?"

"It's getting worse," Zabuza spat out as he stabbed his weapon on the ground and leaned against a tree. "The Bloodlines Massacres are getting just as bad."

Hizashi gravely nodded his head. To imagine that a country that killed people because of a bloodline, his clan should realize a few things before they get too high and mighty due to their bloodline. "What's the plan?"

"…I plan on saving as many as I can…" Zabuza concluded. "Then I would make my move and find Haku."

"Where do you plan on sending them?" Hizashi said, as he leaned against a tree.

"Konoha." Zabuza said in a deadpanned voice, "You guys practically worship bloodlines."

Hizashi had no comment on that. A certain Uchiha made any argument invalid.

"I also have them in hiding in several places where I hid while I was on the run." Zabuza said. "I've been looking for the bone user and I think I have the location where he might be for the next few years."

Nodding, Hizashi said, "If we can't convert him before Orochimaru gets to him then we are going to have to kill him. He's too much of a risk factor."

"Don't remind me," Zabuza gruffly said. "I could have avoided all of that if I had taken him in."

Zabuza should have taken him in when they passed him while leaving the village. Then things could have changed, for better or for worse. Still, Zabuza was stuck on the 'what if's'…

"Nothing could have changed," Hizashi stated. "Any other news, I should report in to them."

"He's here and played with the host," Zabuza stated as he picked up his sword and started to walk away. "Have you noticed that we are in the same shape we were before we hit the bucket or is that just me?"

"It's not just you, Zabuza," Hizashi stated as he leaned on the tree. "All of us have been given back all of our levels that we had before we came back. But due to the seal it holds it back, thank the Shinigami for that. Neji has the reserves of a Jounin, but with the seal it hold him back to his body limitations. That goes for everyone else who is a child at this point."

"So you are saying that the brats have high chakra, stamina and an arsenal of moves all stored away," Zabuza stated with a dull look, "meaning that once they start training they are going to be monsters in the battle field before they even hit puberty?"

"It's all of us, Zabuza," Hizashi stated as he put on his mask. "Everyone in the group has it as well. We just have to keep in under control to avoid suspicion."

"Yeah, whatever." Zabuza rolled his eyes. "I'm doing that. It's just that it's a pain that I can't kill the ones who annoy me when I have the power to back it up."

"If you end up killing Kisame then Itachi would kill you or use his abilities to prevent you from ever going to sleep again in peace," Hizashi said, reprimanding Zabuza like a child. "He only joined the Red Moon because everything around him was a lie."

"I know," Zabuza said in a quiet voice. "It doesn't mean I hate him any less as a comrade."

* * *

Neji wobbled around the Hyuuga compound.

'Curse this all,' he thought as he tripped on his feet. 'I can't wait till I can walk in peace.'

The little Hyuuga had managed to avoid being detected by most of his family. He even managed to escape his caretaker. Right now, he had one task and he was going to go through with it.

'At least I have the same endurance I had as a Jounin,' he thought as he made it to his location. 'I'm not even out of breath.'

His small hand reached for a door, as he finally made his way to open it. The door slid open, to reveal his uncle.

'Curses,' he cussed as he looked up with big wide innocent eyes.

Hiashi looked down at his nephew with an eyebrow raised. 'How did he get here? I didn't even notice him until he came to the door.'

Picking up his nephew from the floor, he looked down the hall to see if anyone was there. "I wonder where your caretaker is at, Neji."

Neji did not say anything; he was rather talkative at this age by what his father had told him. So he gave his 'favorite' uncle a featureless look.

The look disturbed Hiashi a bit. 'I have to talk to brother about taking him away from the elders… it seems they are affecting him far too much.'

Putting on a small smile, Hiashi instead told the boy, "Since you are here, I'm going to introduce you to your cousin and heiress of the clan."

Hiashi carried Neji into the room and slid the door closed behind them. Neji silently turned on his byakugan to see who else was in the room. The only people in the room were, his uncle and his aunt who had a bundle in her hands.

Hiashi turned Neji around so that he could see the bundle in the matriarch hands. Neji took a peak and a small came to his face. 'Lady Hinata…'

* * *

Anko sat in a dango shop, undoubtedly eating dango after dango. With her sat Kurenai, Yugao, Asuma and Hayate. Anko and Asuma had managed to get Yugao and Hayate to come with them. The five of them were talking about random things. How things were going on in the village or what their futures were going to be like. Asuma turned red when Yugao had asked Kurenai wanted to do when she was an accomplished as a ninja. She stated that she wanted to get married and start a family. It also made the Sarutobi depressed considering the events of the other life.

Anko turned the attention away by stating about the upcoming chunin exams.

"Isn't too early to go to the exams?" Hayate coughed. "Especially with what happened."

"It is too show that we are strong and not weak, Hayate-san," Kurenai stated as she drank her tea.

"Where is it being taken this time round?" Yugao asked.

"It's in Suna," Asuma said in a bored tone. "Whoever is going is going to represent the village and say the minimal of what happened here."

The others nodded their heads at that.

"Can I get another order of a dozen dango?" Anko called out to a waiter.

The waiter gave her a disgusted look before going into the kitchen.

"Jerk," Anko frowned as she used the dango stick to pick her teeth.

"Let it go, Anko," Asuma sighed.

Kurenai raised an eyebrow at her almost-boyfriend. "What was that about?"

"The village sees me as a traitor because of that damn snake," Anko stated as she pointed at herself with the stick. "Lord Hokage had Asuma here to chaperone me to see if that's true or not."

"I hate every minute of it," Asuma said a boring voice. 'Death… I'm sounding like Shikamaru now…'

"You like it because I usually hang out with Kurenai-chan," Anko said with a smirk. Asuma had surprised look to his face and a blush came to his face. He received giggles and laughter from his friends.

"I deny nothing," Asuma said as he looked around. In the corner of his eye he saw the waiter come back with a scowl on his face, as he hid behind a counter.

The waiter had a plate of dango in his hand and with the other; he took out a vial from his pocket. The vial was filled with clear liquid that certainly didn't move like water. He drizzled it over the dango and hid the vial in his pocket once more. He started to walk to the table with a smirk on his face.

Asuma frowned and looked at Anko and said silently to her, "I believe you should stop eating for your health, Anko."

Anko raised an eyebrow as she looked at the waiter with the smirk on his face. "Here's your dango, miss."

Anko examined the dango. With a small whiff, she made a disgusted look on her face.

The other three on the table were confused by what was going on.

"Asuma-kun, what's going on?" Kurenai whispered to him.

"Watch," Asuma whispered back to her.

"What the hell is this?" Anko said to the waiter as she took a dango and showed it to the waiter.

"it's what you ordered," the waiter stated plainly.

"Yeah, but I didn't order some poisoned dango, if that what your saying." Anko took the plate of dango and threw it at him. As she did she raised her other arm to bring up the same vial of clear liquid. "Asuma how much trouble would I be in if I… torture this guy."

"Make sure that he is sane by the time he gets to T&I," Asuma said to her as he glared at the waiter.

"I didn't do anything. The snake bitch is lying," he said, glaring at Anko.

"I saw you put the poison in her order," Asuma said as he stood up. He took out one of his trench knives. "You are going in for attempting to kill a leaf konochi."

"She is lying! I did nothing!" The waiter panicked. He looked into his pocket to realize that the vial was gone. "You have no proof."

The three at the table and now the entire restaurant heard what was happening. Many wanted to take the waiters side, how Anko accused him of the crime. But they didn't say anything due to the fact of who was defending her. The hokage son. The three were now glaring down from their spots. Kurenai were doing seals to put up a genjutsu, the other two took out swords.

"I saw you do it," Asuma said to him as he sensed anbu coming into the shop. "You attempted to not only poison her but as well as me and my comrades."

"She's a traitor! Why are you defending her, of all people?" He glared at him.

"Easy. She's my girlfriend's best friend and if I don't help her then I am most likely going to the dog house," Asuma said a deadpanned expression. Many men nodded their heads at that. Women are tricky creatures to deal with.

Kurenai blushed up a storm when she heard Asuma state the girlfriend comment.

The anbu took the vial and confirmed that it was poison. They proceeded take the former waiter to the T&I.

"Since when did Kurenai agreed to be your girlfriend?" Anko enquired.

To be continued…

R/R.


	7. Chapter 7

Silent Moments of the Past.

-.-

D/c: I own nothing.

-.-

It had been one year since the whole 'time travel'… thing. A celebration was going on to which many were invited. The semi-formal event was taking place in the Nara compound due to the fact that it had a larger space to run around outside. Even though it was a day to mourn for the ones who were gone, they were celebrating life. The life of the hero of their village, despite what anyone thought.

The third talked to many people here and there. Jiraiya had actually invited the orphans to enjoy the day despite what day it was. They were looking up at the elite Jounin with awe, much to his amusement. The Hyuuga's came as well. It was just Hiashi, his wife and his little daughter, Hinata. With them came Hizashi and his own wife and son, Neji. Some others joined in the festivities as well. The four other clans that took in Naruto were around with their children and family.

Hana Inuzuka said that she invited a friend but he was coming along later. That got an eyebrow raised by Tsume. She had heard of the 'friend' but never met him.

The Akimichi's headed straight towards the food table. The Aburame's headed towards the solace of the forest but still made small talk with the other guest. The Yamanaka were busy chatting up with everyone. Inuzuka's were enjoying what was going on. As for the Nara's, they were being hospitable hosts to everyone. The last thing they needed was the matriarch to be down their throats.

The kids were in an area playing by themselves. The birthday boy was dressed up in orange and green robes. He still had his blond spikey hair; Yoshino had attempted to tame it to no results. Shikamaru was dressed in a light and dark green one. The two boys were playing with Choji and Shino in a game of ball. Then came in Neji and Kiba and were eager to play.

Shino sent out a decoded message asking where the rest of the future rookies was. Neji responded that Hinata was still too young to be running about and that she was finally coming down from the flu. Shikamaru explaned that Ino stayed with her parents since there were not any other girls to play with.

Then all of the sudden, one of the orphans came into the room. Jiraiya had led him into the room where the boys were. Naruto, Shikamaru, Shino and Neji did a double take. It was Rock Lee.

"Do you boys have enough room for another?" Jiraiya stated, pointing at Lee.

Lee look up at them shyly frm behind the old sage. What surprised the four boys was that Lee did not have thick eyebrows or the bowl haircut. Yes, his eyebrows were bigger than the norm, but they did not look like furry bugs. He wore a green t-shirt, a pair of brown shorts, and sandals on his small feetï.

Neji moved to the side and patted the spot next to him. Jiraiya lightly pushed Lee to move. Lee quickly came into the game. As the game progressed, Lee was smiling as he enjoyed his company.

'What about Sasuke, Sakura and Tenten?' Shino stated in a message.

'Sasuke is coming with his brother later on,' Naruto said as he threw the ball to Shikamaru.

'Sakura's family think that they're higher than they actually are,' Shikamaru said as he threw the ball to Neji.

When Neji got the ball, he was looking up with wide eyes and a small blush on his face. The boys were confused. What had gotten him to be like that? Shino looked at the direction where Neji was looking up. He nodded his head in conformation at what or who he was looking at.

A small girl with two space buns dressed in a Chinese dress was looking into the room. She gasped at the fact she was caught.

Neji threw the ball at Choji and left the game.

The three boys smirked at Neji's reaction.

**(A/N: I don't do well with little kids writing)**

"Wha' hapem to him?" Lee asked as he got the ball.

"Girlz," Naruto laughed as he caught the ball.

"Cootie," Kiba scrunched his nose. The other boys laughed.

Tomoko leaned against a tree as she looked around the party. It was Naruto's first birthday bash. Yoshino sure did herself in. It was nice and family orientated. She saw Asuma had his arm around Kurenai. It was official; the two of them were together. Kabuto played around with a few of the other kids. Hana and her triplets look like they had caught a familiar scent…

She noticed that Hana ran towards the gates, and there she saw Itachi Uchiha and his mother who was carrying Sasuke. Hana ran up to Itachi, grabbed the boy's hand, and dragged him towards her mother. Chuckles were heard throughout the party as they watched the scene unfold. Poor kid…

Mikoto walked up the clan heads to pay her respects. They pointed to the room where all the boys were. She went into the place, dropped off Sasuke, and went off to talk to Yoshino.

"I wondered why the Uchiha's came," Kakashi mused as had two drinks in his hands.

"Who knew that Itachi can be so shy?" Tomoko stated as she got one of the drinks from him, "Look how flustered he is with her."

"Heh," Kakashi laughed as he crept an arm around Tomoko.

"I remember when I introduce you to my mother," Tomoko mused, but it sounded bitter for her.

"That is a memory I would rather forget," Kakashi said as he hid his face in her neck.

Neji walked around the party, looking for Tenten. He was coming up empty; using his byakugan was tempting but where was the fun in that? Then he saw her. She was running towards a couple and jumped into the man's arm. Neji recognized the man. It was Tenten's father. The man stood tall and had muscles due to the fact that he was a blacksmith. Burns and cuts covered his body clothed with simple red garments. The woman next to him was a petite woman. She look very similar to Tenten and had a pink dress. The man picked up his daughter and put her up over his shoulder so that she was sitting on them.

Neji debated whether to go to them. With his head held high, he walked forward. As he, did he saw that Tenten family was talking to someone but he could not see whom. As he got close, a twitch came to his face.

"He's a smart kid. Only that being around my… family makes him a bit like them," Hizashi said as he talked to the Hua family. "I've been trying to get him away from all of that."

"Tenny's been trying to get her hands on the weapons that we have," Chang said, as he look up to see that his daughter was looking down at him.

"She actually got a shuriken at and threw it at that robber that one time," Chun stated as she looked up at her daughter who was peeking at Hizashi with curiosity.

"Ha! I remember that," Chang laughed as he looked at Tenten with a proud look. "Some idiot thought it was a good idea to steal from us and Tenten saw it. She threw the shuriken at his bag where he kept the stolen goods."

"Keen eyes," Hizashi murmured looking at Tenten. He looked down when he felt someone tugging on his pants. "Hm. Oh there he is."

Hizashi bent down and picked up Neji, much to his chagrin. "This is my son, Neji. Neji, this is the Hua family."

"Hello," Neji said softly and did a small bow. His eyes were trained on Tenten.

Tenten looked at Neji for a moment before hiding her face in her father's ashy hair.

"Is Tenny shy?" Chun coed at her daughter, which only made her blush. Chang put down Tenten.

"Why don't we let them play," Chang said as he looked down at his daughter.

"Of course, it would do him some good." Hizashi put Neji down near Tenten.

Neji held out his arm to her and gave her a smile. "Play with me."

Tenten looked up for her parents approval. They smiled encouragingly at her.

"Kay." Tenten smiled and grabbed Neji's hand. She pulled him away somewhere else in the party.

Then a Hyuuga woman came walking up to Hizashi. "Where's Neji?"

She didn't even bother to acknowledge him. Hizashi hid an annoyed look that was coming up. "He went with Chang's and Chun daughter, Chiyo."

The Hua's looked indifferent towards Chiyo.

Chiyo gave her husband a disapproving look then left without another word.

Hizashi let out an annoyed sigh and bowed to the Hua's "I apologize for my wife's behavior."

Chang grunted but surprise that Hizashi apologized.

"Does she really disapprove of us?" Chun stated, looking at the retreating body of Chiyo.

"She has the same problem that almost every Hyuuga has," Hizashi explained.

"What! That she walks on a third leg?" Chang said to him with an eyebrow raised.

"Sadly, but yes," Hizashi whispered. Hizashi always had a problem with his wife. His father had arranged a marriage with him and Chiyo. To this day they couldn't stand each other, much less agree on anything concerning Neji. In the past life, she had actually got remarried and left Neji behind. For Neji, it was during the time that Hiashi finally had a heart and took in his nephew. Hizashi gave a small smirk when he thought about how Chiyo had to live in a clan that had to live by with the minimum due to massive spending the clan did to show off.

* * *

Asuma had managed to separate himself from his girlfriend the moment that her best friend came to the party. Right now he was looking for the kids. After a while, he came into the room where they were in. He gave a smile as he looked down at them. An eyebrow was raised when he saw the young Uchiha playing and smiling with them. That was different compared to what he remembered.

"Hello everyone." He smiled at the reactions. It startled a few of them from their game. Shikamaru looked and smiled. A few of the others besides, Naruto and Shino of course, do not know the teen.

"Asu." Shikamaru smiled as he got up and ran to him. Asuma picked up the kid and had him sit on his shoulders.

Naruto go up and ran up to him, and hug him.

"Okay, you guys," Asuma said as he walked into the room, while Naruto was clinging to his leg.

In the past year, whenever he was not in a mission for the leaf or his new boss, he would babysit the boys or play shogi with Shikaku. The other two things he did were to spend as much time with Kurenai as he could and to have missions assigned to the group where the marks were at. The fact that his father was the Hokage did help him in that department.

Each person in the group has a job to do. The only ones who were excused from that were the younger ones. For obvious reasons…

* * *

There are many kinds of battles. One of those kinds of battles is the battle of the brains. A good strategy could make you the winner even if it seems that you're going to lose. Shikaku and Kabuto were playing a game of shogi. As they played people swarmed around to watch. Even though they knew that Shikaku was winning, Kabuto was making him work for it.

But the game was more than that. As each person made a move, it sent out a message to the other player. As time passed by it seemed that the game was even on both sides. Then one player claimed it all.

"Good game," Shikaku yawned, looking down at Kabuto.

"Really, Nara-sama?" Kabuto said with wide eyes.

"You're actually the first..." 'Besides my son, of course.' "...to give me a challenge" Shikaku said as he rearranged the board again.

'Danzo is one the move,' Shikaku thought with a frown. 'He's after the heirs and due to his position he can do it. He's after almost everyone.'

"Keep using your mind and you can make it as a shinobi," Shikaku said to him with a serious face. 'It's not like you need my advice'

"Thank you." Kabuto stood and bowed.

* * *

Temari played in her youngest brother's room. In the last year, she had been collecting information and sending it down to Konoha in secret. The majority of the information was that her father, the Kazakage, had been slowly destroying the village. It was sad but it was happening.

"Tema," a childlike monotone voice said.

Temari looked up from her seal… drawings and saw that Gaara was crawling towards her. "What is it Gaara?"

"Where's Kankuro?" Gaara whispered.

Temari frowned. At this point of time, the middle child of the family hated Gaara for what happened to their mother. "He'll come around, Gaara."

Gaara let out a small breath, went closer to his older sister, and hugged her. "He thinks I am a monster."

"Don't say that," Temari whispered to him as she hugged him close to her.

"You know it's true," Gaara whispered as he began to cry.

"If you don't stop crying then I won't tell you where Matsuri is at," Temari said to him.

Gaara froze; he slowly looked up at his older sister with calculating eyes. "You know where she is. For how long?"

"I have my ways, little brother. I needed a good time to bring it up," Temari smirked at her brother.

"Were you even going to tell me?" Gaara narrowed his eyes at her.

"Maybe," Temari said with an all too innocent look.

* * *

Shikaku lay on his bed. It was the middle of the night and he could not sleep. The message that Kabuto gave him had been on his mind and he was thinking through every strategy he could make to prevent it. Shibi had told him how Danzo had ordered him to give Shino to the Root program. The only way that did not happen was because Torune had volunteered for it in Shino's place.

The only way to prevent it all happening was to expose Root, which should have disbanded years ago. The only question is, how? Danzo made sure to keep all its secrets hidden. If he caught wind of something, he would destroy all evidence and move to a different location.

Shikaku began to smirk; thinking was his way of fighting. No one yet so far had bested him at that so far… that was his job, anyway.

To be continued…


	8. An: CHECK MY PROFILE!

OKAY! I AM GOING TO CLEAR THE AIR!

CHECK MY PROFILE!

I AM THE ORIGINAL WRITERS OF ALL THE STORIES.

If some of you had checked the other accounts profiles, Unsung-Knight and Fanatic24, you'd see that I had planned to transfer the stories here. Hell, I have put up notices to it too.


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